Printing control device



C. D. LAKE PRINTING CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vINVENTOR 674m" 2. Lake ATTORNEY Aug. 1943- c. D. LAKE 2,325,959

PRINTING CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATT ORNEYPatented Aug. 3, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING CONTROLDEVICE Clair D. Lake, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to InternationalBusiness Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application May 10, 1941, Serial No. 392,931

2 Claims. (01. 101-93) This invention relates to printing mechanism andmore particularly to the control devices .utilized in the positioning ofthe type bars of a printing tabulating machine of the record cardcontrolled type,

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simpler, morecompact type bar control mechanism than has heretofore been found intabulating machines. In such machines there is provided a row of closelyspaced type bars which are concurrently elevated to each pass a numberof type elements past a printing position opposite a platen. The barsare each provided with ratchet teeth which move past the toe of apivoted pawl which is normally latched out of the path of the teeth.When a particular type element is to be selected for printing, magneticdevices are caused to trip the pawl into engagement with the propertooth on the bar and cause interruption of the bars upward movement tooccur when the selected type element is in printing position. Themagnetic devices which are magnets have heretofore been arranged tocontrol the pawls through intermediate connections,

all of which imposed a load whose operation required a magnet of sizewhich necessitated what might be termed a staggered arrangement; thatis, there has generally been required six rows of magnets arranged intandem progressively farther away from the pawls to be operated.

A more particular object is to provide a type bar positioning mechanismthat is more direct in operation; one that is constructed of a minimumnumber of parts; one that may be conveniently manufactured, and one thatis more simple and accessible for assembly adjustment and repair.

With the present arrangement only two rows of magnets are required tocontrol the same number of pawls with the same spacing between thepawls. The rows of magnets are one above the other, so that both are thesame distance fromthe'pawls and can act directly thereupon without thenecessity of intervening connections.

Simplification-is thus obtained with a consider-'- In the drawings:

Fig. l is a central section through the magnet and stop pawl unitshowing its relation to the reciprocating type bar.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the spacingrelationship of the parts.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view looking in the direction of lines 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The type of machine to which the present invention is applied is bestshown in Patent 2,042,324, granted to J. R. Peirce on May 26, 1936,wherein the print magnet controlling devices are shown in Fig. 3.

As in such machine, the type bars l0 (Fig. l) are reciprocated by wellknown controlling cams in synchronism with the passage of perforatedrecord cards past a row of so-called sensing brushes. The upper end ofbar l0 carries a plurality of horizontally slidable type elements Hwhich pass a platten l2 in succession as the bar rises. Teeth t3 are cutin the bar and so located that they pass the toe of a pawl It insuccession as corresponding elements reach the printing position. PawlsI4, of which there is one for each bar ID, are pivotally carried andspaced apart on a rod I5 supported by brackets IS attached to arectangular cross bar I'I. Each pawl is normally urged in a clockwisedirection by a spring |8 anchored to a plate l9 and is held in theposition shown by the engagement of a horizontal arm of the pawl withthe lower edge of a notch in either an upper or lower armature 20 of amagnet 2|. The arrangement is such that alternate pawls I4 latch on theupper armatures 20, while the intermediate pawls latch on the lowerarmatures.

The armatures are pivoted at their outer ends and spaced by combs 22 asshown in Fig. 2, while springs 23 serve to hold them rocked away fromtheir magnets 2| against a stop plate 24 which is secured to cross barIT. The magnets are provided with flat cores and so spaced I that thedistance between the centersof two adable saving of parts and effort,together with a.. further saving of space in the machine for theaccommodation of. the devices.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention andthe best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

jacent magnets is twice the distance between the centers of two adjacentpawls, thereby enabling the total number of magnets required to 'bearranged in two rows ofiset laterally by one pawl spacing.

The magnets are supported .by a U-shaped member 25 which also carries aU-shaped armature stopping member'26 against which the armatures strikewhen attracted by their magnets 2|. On one side of member 25 is a plate21 of insulating material in which are embedded individual contactors 26wired to their respective magnets 2|. A single contactor 26 lyingintermediate the two rows of contactors 26 is wired to each of themagnets.

Behind plate 21 is a frame 36 into which there is slidably insertible aninsulating plate 3| provided with a finger grip 32' and which, wheninserted, is held in place by screws 33. In plate 3| are embedded plugJacks 34 whose extending blades make contact with the contactors 26 and29. The jacks are configured to have connecting wires inserted thereinfor completing circuits through the magnets. On a stud 36 (Fig. 2)concentric with rod i is pivoted a ball 36 (see Fig. 3) normally biasedagainst a fixed eccentrically adjustable stop pin 38.- Both stud 36 andpin 38 are carried by brackets 39 (one at each end of the unit) attachedto cross bar l'l. Pivoted to arm 40 of bail 26 is a link 4| which haspin and slot connection 42 with a bail 43 pivoted at 44 to brackets 39and having a spring 31 which serves to bias the ball 36 clockwise. A

spring 45 between ball 43 and arm 40 of bail 36 serves to bias bail 43clockwise, but its tension is less than that of spring 31. Bail 36extends beneath all the horizontal arms of pawls l4 and bail 43 extendsbehind all the armatures 20.

When bail 36 is rocked counterclockwise as will presently be explained,it restores all tripped pawls i4 and, when the play in the slot of link4| is taken up, spring 45 rocks ball 43 to move all attracted armaturesinto reengagement with their restored pawls 14. The means for rockingbail 36 is a lever 46 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 41 and having a linkconnection 48 with a follower lever 49 pivoted at 50. On a machine shaft5| is a before the type bars III are moved downwardly, strikes lever 43to restore the pawls l4 and armatures 20 through the connectionsspecified.

It is to be noted that energization of any magnet 2l attracts itsarmature 20 and directly releases the related pawl 14 and that thisaction is the same for all magnets, so that all do the same amount ofwork through the same distances and the power required of each magnet isthe same.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamentalnovel features 01 the invention as applied to a single modification, itwill be understood that various omissions and substitutions and-changesin the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operationmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limitedonly as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing machine, a plurality of spaced type bars arranged sideby side to slidably touch one another, a stopping pawl for each bar,said pawls being arranged in a single row, two rows of magnets, anarmature for each magnet having a latching edge directly engaging arelated one of the pawls, said latching edges lying along a single lineand said magnets being spaced a distance equal to twice the spacing ofthe pawls and related type bars.

roller arm 52 which, at the proper time in the operation of the machinewhich is generally Just 2. The invention set forth in claim 1 in whichthe cores of the magnets are rectangular in crosssection and the magnetsin one row are ofiset one-half their spacing with respect to the magnetsin the second row.

' CLAIR D. LAKE.

